Watch it Take you Down
by MirrorOfMe
Summary: She crawled above them, as existent as a shadow, following their path. She would wait until they strayed apart, and take them out. Soon, her jungle would be silent once more. Sokka, hearing the noise, seperates from the group... SokkaxOC
1. Authors Note

Started another story : ) , hope you guys like iiit. I own Nirvana. I do not own Sokka, or any of the Last Airbender crew. Theres also romance in this story, just so you know. so if you like, please comment. : )

Here we go…


	2. Chapter 1

The snapping of a branch sent her to her feet. Her sharpened hearing picked up two.. no, three voices. Their careless footfalls alerted Nirvana of the whereabouts of the three. She could hear which direction they were coming from, and took off in the opposite direction.

Unlike the loud foot steps of the approaching, her wilderness-calloused feet were silent as she raced ahead. She paused for no more than a second to listen. Their chatter continued on, and Nirvana took to the trees. Her lean muscles lifted her high up into the braches as swift as a striking cobra. Once she knew she could not be seen, she stopped.

Through the criss-crossing branches and leaves she saw the three whom she hunted. They were careless indeed. The jungle was a dangerous place, and they were not speaking in hushed tones. Anyone, or anything, could have heard them. Anger and fear of the unknown swirled in her chest. A low, animalistic growl rumbled in her throat. Her eyes narrowed as she inspected the three.

In the lead, there was a boy dressed in orange and yellow. On his shaven head, a blue arrow tattoo was painted. Slightly behind him were another boy, and a girl. Both was the same deep brown hair, and Nirvana assumed they were siblings. They were dressed head to toe in blue.

Nirvana crawled above them, as existent as a shadow, following their path. She would wait until they strayed apart, and take them out. Soon, her jungle would be silent once more.

* * *

Sokka's eyes moved in every single direction, following every movement and sound in the wilderness surrounding himself, Katara and Aang. He was well aware of the dangers that lurked just beyond the brush. He moved with his sister and friend as they chatted, his palms prickling to grab his boomerang at any given moment. Completely silent, he listened carefully. Hearing an almost silent creak, his feet came to an absolute halt.

"Shush," he told Katara and Aang.

"What is it?" his sister whispered.

Sokka put a finger to his lips to keep her quiet, but the noise had ceased when they had. He motioned for them to stay where they were and he slowly turned and walked back the way they had came. He retraced his steps surely, and his ears picked up on the sound that had alerted him in the first place.

A fair distance from Katara and Aang, he slowed his pace. His fingers itched for the weapon at his back, but he dared not reach for in; he didn't want to appear a threat to whatever was out there.

* * *

Nirvana followed the russet-skinned boy, aware that he knew of her presence. She waited until he came to a standstill below her perched frame. She watched with careful eyes as he looked about, turning from side to side and front to back. The foolish boy did not look up.

Her emerald eyes narrowed and caught sight of her attack. He had lowered his arm from his back, where she could see a sheath containing some weapon. He turned once more to his left, and she leapt from the branches. She plummeted towards her target, her body arched for impact.

* * *

Something from above connected with his shoulders with great force and shoved him down. Facedown in the dirt, the something dug its claws into his back, forcing a grunt from his lips. He paused for a fraction of a second when the thing atop his body growled, ripping the sheath from its place and throwing it away. The growl was oddly feminine.

He brought his elbow swiftly around, knocking her off balance and off him. He threw himself over her, pinning her wrists on either side of her. He tried not to let his fierce mask slip when he saw her face.

Determination and anger furrowed her brows beneath a deep black fringe of bangs across her forehead. Fury burned in her bright jade eyes, and turned her full pale lips downward. As his eyes drifted to her mouth, a carnal scream tore its way out of her throat. She kicked her legs, pounding against his spine and flipping him over.

They both scrambled to their feet and faced each other. He took on a traditional fighting stance, and she shifted into a crouch. He barely had time to wonder why she seemed to be raised by wolves. She pounced at him, fingers curled into claws.

Her nails snagged his skin as he warded off her swift arms with his own. For a second, he caught her arm in his hand, but then she swung her leg upwards. Her small feet struck the underside of his chin and snapped his head back with the force. Lighting fast, she slammed her fist into his chest, forcing the air from his lungs, and flung her leg outward. His feet slipped from under his and suddenly he was on his back and her weight was on his chest.

His breath heaved from his mouth, chest rising and falling rapidly. She dug her knees into his biceps, keeping him helpless. He watched as she unsheathed a small dagger from her inner thigh and lowered it to his neck.

"Who are you?" she hissed. When he didn't answer fast enough, she thrust the edge against his skin. She didn't slice his flesh, but she did earn a grunt. She pinned him with her glare.

"My name is Sokka,"

She eyed him, green fire burning in her orbs. "Why are you in _my _jungle?" she demanded.

"We were only passing-"

"Sokka!"

Her head whipped towards the sound. Sokka's eyes followed her infuriated gaze, unable to move his head. He saw his sister draw a short dagger and Aang's body tense. The girl above him hissed at the intruders.

"Let him go," Aang commanded. Another hiss came from her throat. Sokka realized that she was distracted and took his chance. Arms flinging upwards, he knocked her away once more.

* * *

Caught off guard, her body went sailing. She barely had the time to blink when her head connected with a rock. Her vision suddenly blacked out and her body lay motionless.


	3. Chapter 2

_A.N. Alright, here's chapter two. Please review if you like. Criticism is welcome, also. Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. But Nirvana is © to me._

* * *

Her eyes flew open and her eyelashes brushed across some resistance. She was surprised to see only darkness still. She whipped her head around in confusion, baffled noises escaping her. Attempting to flail her arms, she found that her wrists were tied. She also found the same case with her legs. She wriggled aimlessly.

"Let me go!" she screamed, seemingly on deaf ears.

"Oh, give it a rest," a deep male voice ordered. She looked about blindly, attempting to locate to body which the voice belonged to. Suddenly, skin brushed across her cheek, and she could see again. Her eyes focused, and she saw Sokka toss the blindfold onto the ground.

She narrowed her eyes in a glare. What did these people think they were doing?

* * *

He watched as she tried to free herself from the ropes binding her limbs. The lovely-looking girl shot daggers at him with her bright green eyes. He sighed, beginning to pace in front of her.

"Why did you tie me up?" she spat.

"We just want to ask you a few things. We didn't want you to hurt yourself," he paused, then added under his breath, "or anyone else…" He stopped pacing as she bared her teeth at him. With a shake of his head, he continued, "Why are you out in the middle of the forest? You look like you've been _living_ there,"

She jutted out her chin and lowered her eyes. His heart melted just a bit as he saw her beautiful face fill with sadness. He kneeled down and levelled his face with hers. He raised his eyebrows and she sighed.

"I had to leave."

"Where? Why?"

"My village," She lifted her face to his, barely inches apart. Her warm breath bloomed across his skin as she snarled, "because I burned it down,"

* * *

She finally convinced Sokka to untie her, with her promise that she would explain the whole story. She rubbed at her wrists and ankles, sore from the ropes. She watched silently as Sokka sat down beside her. His deep blue eyes searched hers.

She took a moment to look him over. The sides of his head were shaved, and the rest of his brown hair was pulled back in an elastic. His tan skin stretched over his lean, but strong muscles, and the sharp angles of his face. She could see the hard planes of his chest beneath his blue tunic shirt. Her eye focused on the square-shell necklace around his neck. She lifted her hand to feel its sleek surface.

Sokka inhaled sharply as she raised her hand to his neck. Her thumb ran along its glossy plane.

"Where did you get this?"

"It's a symbol of my Water Tribe," he told her, catching his breath. She looked at him with questions in her eyes. "My sister and I used to live in the south. We were part of the Southern Water Tribe. Katara is a water bender." he explained. "We found Aang trapped in a huge iceberg, and we freed him. Turned out he was the Avatar."

"Avatar?" she raised an eyebrow. She had only ever heard of this phenomenon in passing.

"Yeah," he nodded, "The air bender. He is the only person who can control all of the elements."

Her heart thudded against her chest. She immediately stood, and walked away.

"Wait!" Sokka followed her, "I don't even know your name,"

She turned to face him, keeping her face calm, "Nirvana."

* * *

Sokka kept pace with Nirvana as she wandered. He was taken aback by her reaction to the Avatar. She finally slowed when she got to a small lake near the outskirts of their camp. Without any hesitation, she padded into the crystal water. He watched as the miniscule waves lapped around her legs. His eyes trailed up to her torn skirt of a colour that looked like it could have been a greenish blue at one point, her tattered shirt of roughly the same colour, and matted raven hair falling down her back.

"You need some new clothes," he commented as she trailed farther into the water, up to her waist now. She shrugged and dunked the rest of her body beneath the surface. His eyes lingered on the spot where she had disappeared. Bubbles rose in that area, and she finally popped back into view.

Sokka inhaled at her raw beauty. Water droplets dripping from her face, she wrung out her soaking hair. For the first time, Sokka was amazed to see a small smile tugging at her lips. She slowly made her way back towards him.

"Do you happen to have some clothes to offer me?" she stopped a foot in front of him, tugging the water from her long hair.

"Uh, Katara might have some," he shrugged off the heat approaching his face as she sauntered past him. He noticed that her movements were graceful and fluid, like a swift carnal hunter; a predator.

Sokka approached Katara, who was sitting beside Aang. Aang had busied himself fixing a fire pit, stacking wood inside a circle of stones. Sokka took a seat beside his sister and smiled.

* * *

Nirvana kept a good distance between herself and the other three. She stood just beyond the camp; close enough to be seen. The wind blew past her, cold against her wet skin, and tingles shimmied up her spine. She wrapped her arms around herself to keep warm. She observed Sokka sitting beside his sister. They shared the russet skin and dark brown hair, more noticeable now that she was on the same level as them.

"You got some clothes laying around?" Sokka asked.

"I think I do," her gaze shifted to Nirvana. "From the last town."

Katara stood to travel the short distance to the tent. She emerged with a pile of black and violet cloth between her palms. Nirvana straightened as she approached. Katara eyed her carefully, offering the clothing.

"Here," she almost whispered, a slight suspicion in her eye.

"Thank you," Nirvana said politely, bowing her head. She turned to change, and felt Katara's uneasy gaze burning into her back.


	4. Chapter 3

_A.N. : So here's chapter three. I'm writing this while I'm up north, so I can't actually add this until I get home. But, thank you for the faves. : ), I'd really appreciate commenting too. There were quite a few spelling mistakes in the last chapters, and I apologize for that. I didn't re-read it as well as I thought. I'll try to not do that, haha. Also, I actually got sad while writing this, so I hope you enjoy. Disclaimer: __**I do not own Avatar: The last airbender. **__Nirvana is © to me. P.S. I'm going to try to add a picture of Nirvana's outfit, if I can. _

* * *

Nirvana shed her soaking clothes after stepping behind the brush and placing the offered clothes on a nearby rock. She held up said clothing to examine it. The black top was a wrap-around v-neck tunic with long, wide sleeves and an ornately detailed violet seam. The violet skirt was knee-length and open on either side to reveal the black cloth pants beneath.

She slipped these items on, tying the shirt securely with the obi-style belt around her waist. She found that the skirt had a very flattering waist band. In the shape of a V, it outlined her hip-bones and her flat stomach. She smiled slowly as she pulled on the fingerless gloves that attached with a simple thread around her middle finger.

She emerged from the brush, the grey boots in her hand. Slowly, she approached the campsite, a small smile of thanks on her lips.

"Thank you very much, Katara," she said, nodding to the girl sitting beside her brother.

* * *

He saw her step leisurely from the forest into view. He couldn't help but stare appreciatively at her bare, flat stomach. With her hair shaken out and tumbling down her back, with the new clothes hugging her curves, he could barely help himself from sighing at her beauty.

He swallowed his thoughts as she sat carefully by his side. Her lips pulled upward in an unsure smile.

"Where should I put these?" she motioned to the old rags in her grasp.

"Doesn't really matter," Sokka shrugged. "Toss 'em over there," he suggested, pointing behind them. She did as he said.

The night advanced quickly, and soon the sun was barely visible behind the trees. The air became chilled with the darkness settling in. As the light disappeared, they lit their fire.

Sokka watched the light from the flames flicker across the planes of Nirvana's face. She sat in the same place beside him, arms wrapped around her knees. Cross legged, he observed as she leaned her cheek against the top of her knee.

"So what happened in your village?" he asked slowly, gently.

She glanced up at him, twisting her fingers together. His eyes softened, pleaded her to tell him. She breathed out a gulp of air and glanced behind Sokka's shoulder pointedly. He turned and observed that Katara and Aang were lost in their own conversation.

He placed a hand on top of hers and nodded. Her skin was warm against his, like fire was burning under his palm.

"Please," he pleaded again.

"I guess I should start at the beginning," she cast her green eyes downward at the ground. She exhaled another lungful of air and then began.

"Some time ago, I couldn't tell you exactly how long, I was the young daughter of the finest hunter of our village. My father was the most skilled, precise and deadly hunter in the history of our family. He had long since surpassed his father, my grandfather, who used to be the best in his day.

"My father asked me to go hunting with him one day, so that I could pass on his legacy, or something. So we got all of his gear together and slung it onto our backs. We travelled on foot deep into the forest, bows and arrows on our shoulders. It wasn't long before we saw our prey; a massive buck with an eerie glow about his eyes. My father told me how to position myself and aim the arrow. And suddenly, there I was, a hunter. On one knee, my arms strong and straight and steady, the arrow sharp and ready, I aimed at the buck's chest.

"I let the arrow fly with a twang of the bow's string. I missed my target. But I did clip him a bit, enough for father to track him. He told me to stay put while he followed the deer. I sat on the forest floor, waiting for him to return. Even as quiet as it was between the trees, I didn't hear myself become someone else's prey.

"I heard it's approach at the last minute. A snarl too close for comfort that sent a shiver up my spine. I turned and saw the huge beast staring at me with hungry eyes, barely a foot away. A cougar at least twice the normal size, with huge blue eyes. Its lips were curled back over its knife-like fangs. It was too late by the time my mind screamed at me to run. I had barely made it off the ground when I was thrown back to it by an incredible force that knocked the air from my lungs. A searing pain tore through my leg as the cougar's vast claws ripped through my flesh.

"I remember seeing bright crimson, and feeling the unbearable pain radiating through my entire body, and hearing the ravenous growls as the beast began it's feast. I'm sure I screamed.

"Almost as suddenly as it began, something ended it. I felt the feline's weight leave me as I heard a masculine grunt. A thud a few feet away. With blurry, teary eyes, I watched the beast die by the hands of the hazy figure of a man. I assumed it was my father coming back for me, and held my arms out to him with a whimper.

"But when I opened my eyes a while later, and my leg was bandaged up, I found that the man was not my father. Staring down at me was a young boy, my age, maybe older. He had dark hair like mine, shaggy and grown out, and pale skin like mine, patterned with scars. He had blood spotting his clothes and across his neck. Such a lovely face, with sharp cheek bones, and an adorable slightly crooked nose, tainted with blood. He reminded me of a fallen angel. I had never seen this boy before in my life, but suddenly it was like my whole world was attached to him by a single thread. It was the strangest feeling, and the intensity of it frightened me. I raised my hand slowly to touch his face and he looked down at me with his grey eyes.

" 'You saved me,' I said. And his smile made my heart swell and beat against my chest.

" 'Yes,' he nodded, 'You're from the other village,' it wasn't meant as a question as he motioned towards the direction my father and I had come. _My Father. _

" 'Where is my father?' I asked, struggling to sit up.

" 'I found you by yourself, well, minus the cougar mauling your leg,' he chuckled darkly as he placed a hand on my back in an attempt to help me sit.

" 'He hasn't come back yet?'

" 'I guess not,'

"I looked down at my leg. Wrapped in layers of cloth, there was blood soaking through. The cougar got me good. As I was examining my wound, my father came leaping through the trees, dragging the buck behind him. I looked up just in time to see his joyous expression shift to outraged. I imagine the scene he saw was not particularly pleasant. Me, his youngest daughter, sitting a bit too closely with a strange boy from a village he hadn't seen before, and blood dripping from his daughters right leg…

"He stormed towards us and the boy leapt to his feet and tried to explain what had happened, but my father wouldn't hear any of it. I tried to stand but my leg gave out and I fell back to the ground. That stopped their argument long enough to help me stand. But then, once he had me in his grasp, father told the boy that he never wanted to see him near me again, and that nearly broke my heart.

"He dragged me back to the village, forgetting about the buck. I watched helplessly as the boy disappeared from my view. I didn't learn his name, until the day I saw him again. In the weeks that passed, I found myself wishing to see him again. I found myself longing for him. It was the strangest thing. He came up behind me weeks later when I was alone. My leg was raised on a chair and still healing, but I nearly threw my arms around his pale shoulders when I saw him.

" 'You came back,' I smiled at him. We took off into the forest, away from the village. He had to help me walk, since I could still only limp. He finally told me his name. Dante. We spent many, many days together, sneaking off into the trees to be alone. And I found myself falling in love with him, and he in love with me. It was the most wonderful time of my life that I spent with him. He taught me much, and I taught him as well. He became my best friend, and my only lover. But fate was not happy that we were together. Fate, being a cold-hearted whore, decided to tear us apart in the cruellest way possible.

"My father found out that I had been seeing Dante. He told me I was betraying my village and my people. I told him that I didn't care because I loved him.

"I tried to stop him. Oh, how hard I tried. But I couldn't. My father had chosen Dante as his next prey, and Dante didn't stand a chance. For the second time, I watched Dante disappear from my life. This time though, he would not come back. As Dante died, the thread that tied my world to him snapped and I felt as though a hole had been ripped from my chest, a hole that I learned would never really heal.

"In a fit of rage, pain and incredible sadness, I stormed through my village screaming wordless, pain-filled shrieks. Suddenly, fire sprouted from my palms and shot out through the houses. The flames licked at every house and before I could even comprehend what had happened, the whole village was engulfed. Another thing I couldn't stop. I watched helplessly as I destroyed my home.

"I couldn't bear it, so I ran. I ran as far as my legs would carry me. And I've been running ever since."

Sokka watched Nirvana's pain glaze over her eyes as she told him her story. He had never heard her say so much. Katara had told him to be careful, that she might be deceiving him. But in his heart, he felt that her pain was real. She had the most important person in her life ripped away. He felt a sadness tighten his chest as tears rimmed her already glassy eyes and ran down her face as she relived the memories of Dante. He reached up to her face and wiped a stream of tears away with his thumb.

* * *

She didn't notice that she had been crying until Sokka brushed her cheek with his thumb.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, wiping the rest of her tears away.

"It's okay," Sokka told her, sadness and wonder in his tone.

Seeing Dante's face in her mind again had ripped open the hole in her chest, and now it was a thriving wound. She brushed her fingers over the long, jagged scar on her right leg. A constant reminder of her lover, whose face would be forever seared in the back of her mind. Her face crumpled as an image of Dante's ghostly face flashed behind her lids. Shaky sobs escaped her as she cried out every last tear. Sokka pulled her against his chest and let her break down. She coughed out whimpers, tears streaming down her face as she rubbed her scar.

She didn't want to forget him.


	5. Chapter 4

_A.N. : So here's the next chapter. I showed Nirvana's weak side in the last one, hoping to make her less of a Mary Sue. Thank you for the criticism : ). _

* * *

Sokka could feel the warm shower of tears soaking his shirt as Nirvana cried against his chest. Thoughts swarmed his mind as he soothingly stroked her hair. Nirvana was a fire bender. He had the feeling that she didn't know how to control her bending, since she was probably too afraid to use them after she burned down her village. He had never seen Nirvana so weak. In the day that he'd known her, she'd always been cold or somewhat distant. Apparently, she had emotions just like the rest of them. This was the closest he'd ever been to her. Besides when she had him pinned to the ground with a knife to his throat. But this was a good kind of closeness. He liked it.

Why did he like it that she was leaned against him, holding him close with her arms around his waist? He wasn't entirely sure. She was the one who had tried to kill him. He shouldn't trust her, like Katara had told him not to. There was just something about her that willed him to have trust in her. Maybe it was her fiery green eyes. Maybe it was her full pouty lips. All in all, he had no idea, but he pulled her closer anyway. He trailed his fingers down her back, trying to make the pain go away.

"That feels good," she murmured through sobs.

He blushed. Why was he blushing? He nodded his head slowly and continued to rub her back gently. She nuzzled her head deeper into his chest and gave his waist a squeeze with her arms. He breathed out, trying to keep the approaching X-rated thoughts out of his head. Somehow he managed.

Eventually, her weeping ceased, and she began to fall asleep.

"Go to bed," he said quietly. She lifted her head from his chest and rubbed her inflamed eyes with the back of her hand. She nodded sleepily, walked to the tent they had set up for her, and crawled into bed.

He watched her go then turned his eyes back to what was left of the fire. He sighed, closing his eyes and digging his thumb and forefinger into his tear ducts. What was wrong with him? He shouldn't even be considering her. She should be tied up and questioned. Instead it was like she was a part of their group. How had she managed to wriggle her way under his suspicion?

It was then that he decided that he would be more cautious.

* * *

Nirvana awoke the following morning to hear voices outside her tent.

"She's a fire bender," she could hear Sokka say.

"She trying to sabotage us, then!" she heard Katara accuse.

"That's the thing, I don't think she is."

"That's what fire benders do. They're trying to take over everything, Sokka." She recognized Aang's childish voice.

"Yes, she _is_ a fire bender, but she's not part of the Fire _Nation_," Sokka explained.

"Doesn't the Fire Nation recruit all the fire benders?" Katara asked.

"I don't think anyone _knows_ she's a fire bender. I don't think she's used her powers since…" he rephrased, "In a long time."

She decided to go outside then. All three expressions turned to a trying-to-look-innocent, guilty look. Like they weren't just talking about her. Like they hadn't been talking about anything at all.

"Good morning," she told them nonchalantly. Like she hadn't just heard them.

"Nirvana," Katara nodded at her.

She caught Sokka's eye, and saw all her pain she had shared with him last night. A cold shiver shot up her spine. He knew she was weak. She couldn't have that. She had to appear strong, so that no one could hurt her again. Her stance became rigid and she sat down across the dying embers, away from the rest.

The morning was nearly silent. Nirvana didn't say much, and neither did the rest. There was an awkwardness lingering in the air; like they could tell she'd heard them.

She stood silently as the others began to pack up their camp. She wandered back to the river from the day before. Up to her ankles in the crystal clear water, she began to sway. She crouched down to touch the surface with her finger. As she rose, a stream of water rose, swirling around her finger.

* * *

"Where did Nirvana go?" Sokka asked, eyes surveying the surrounding area.

"Not sure," Aang replied, tying up the last tent.

Sokka turned and made his way through the forest. He had a feeling that she had gone back to the small lake. He peeked through the branches and saw Nirvana standing in the water. Shock tightened his chest and made it difficult to breathe. She had a stream of water loosely following the movements she made with her hands. His jaw dropped. It was impossible.

"You're a water bender too?" he demanded, storming up to her.

She froze as he approached her, and as she lost her concentration the water became immobile and then tumbled back into the river. She looked at him, dropping her arms to her sides. Sokka reached her, trekking into the water as well, and grabbed her wrist.

She tried to shake him off and turn away, but he held on. He tugged her arm so that she had to face him, eye to eye.

"What the hell?" he demanded.

"What?"

"I thought you said you were a fire bender,"

"I never said that. I said I didn't know what happened."

"But you told me that you shot fire from your _palms_!"

"I know…" the fight in her had ceased.

"Then what's this?" he asked a little more quietly, pulling her closer.

"I really couldn't tell you," she admitted.

"You know," Sokka realized, "I've never _seen_ you fire bend. Maybe you were lying about that,"

"You think I would lie about burning down my entire fucking village?" she hissed.

"I don't really know you, do I?" he spat back.

"I wouldn't lie about killing all those people," her voice cracked on the last word, her eyes growing shiny.

"Nirvana," Sokka sighed, a silent apology. She shook off his grasp and turned away, but she did not leave. "What else can you do?" he asked in a small, gentle voice.

"Everything,"

In the wake of her word a long silence was left. Sokka stared at her, jaw slightly slack, because he couldn't believe it.

"What do you mean?" he said finally.

"Everything. Like that goddamn Avatar you were talking about!" she shouted.

"But there's only one Avatar," he tried to reason.

"I am _not_ an Avatar, Sokka," she snapped.

"Then what are you?" he asked gently, reaching for her hand again.

"I don't know."

The two trudged slowly out of the water. Sokka's boots were soaked because he hadn't removed any clothing before following Nirvana into the river. His footsteps were distinguishable by the _flop-flop_ sound they made.

They moved so slowly that they were barely moving at all. Sokka noted that his fingers were still entwined with Nirvana's, and heat flooded his face. She hadn't noticed that he was still holding her hand? If she had, she didn't seem to mind.

* * *

Nirvana's movements were sluggish. She realized just as slowly that there was resistance against her right arm. She glanced over and saw Sokka's russet fingers holding her pale ones. The sight gave her a warm feeling in her chest. But she knew it was wrong. As she unwrapped her fingers from his, a sadness filled her.

She shook her head, ridding herself of those thoughts. She pushed her feelings down deep so that she could remain stone. She saw Sokka's face fall, just the slightest bit, but then he put on a mask not unlike hers.

They finally arrived back at camp, and everything was packed up. Katara eyed the two carefully.

"Are you ready to go, Sokka?" She asked, but continued to stare at Nirvana.

"Just about," Sokka replied.

He turned to Nirvana before they were close enough for the others to hear. He ducked his head to look her in the eye.

"You know, we could help you," he whispered in a low voice.

"Why would you help me?" she raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I don't know," Sokka admitted, "I just feel like we could, and like you could use some friends,"

Nirvana pursed her lips in consideration. It didn't make sense for them to trust her. But then again, maybe they _could _help her. Her eyes met Sokka's deep blue ones. She nodded slowly.

"All right," she agreed.

Sokka's smile was bright, but then he quickly hid it, and played it off as nonchalant.

"All right," he nodded and went to tell Katara and Aang the news.

Nirvana watched Sokka's retreating form with the smallest smile playing on her lips. She watched as Sokka turned and waved her forward. Behind Sokka's body, she could just barely see Katara. And she did not look pleased.


	6. Chapter 5

_A.N. : Boredom ensued, I am writing again. Not sure where this chapter is going to go yet, hopefully somewhere good, ha-ha. I hope you all are enjoying Nirvana and Sokka's relationship as much as I am. Also, I have no idea how to add pics, or even if you can. So, no costume pic yet. Short chapter, sorry. I just wrote, and the end sounded like the perfect way to end a chapter. Enjoy!_

_PS. Alrighty, dirty boy thoughts ahead, so beware._

* * *

After Nirvana took that fateful step towards Sokka, a leap of faith to say the least, she became part of his inner circle. Of course, with Katara's suspicious glares and Aang's silent treatment, she didn't exactly feel welcome. She felt like more of an outsider with the three around her than she had in her whole life. The only time when she felt remotely at ease was when she was with Sokka. The time they spent together was never long-lasting, though, as either his sister or the Avatar intruded. The closeness between the two was undeniable, not that either was willing to admit it. Their conversations in the darkness of the night was filled with awkward pauses when they would accidentally touch.

The days, maybe weeks, passed with the same routine. The conversation and time spent with Sokka differed, but they always rose with the sun, spent the day travelling, and then took camp for the night. She grew restless with the sameness of the days, and of Katara and Aang untrusting faces. Did they really have a reason for not trusting her? Had she done something? Besides that she had almost killed Sokka, but that had been a misunderstanding. She had not set one toe out of line since she had joined them. What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty?

* * *

Sokka padded along behind his sister and Aang while Nirvana kept her place behind him. This was the way the day went. They had developed a walking formation, for Christ's sake! He shook his head at the unfortunate, repetitive scene. He twisted his hands behind his back, reminding himself of the late night conversations that he and Nirvana shared the night before.

The simplicity of her question had caught him off guard. _"Why haven't you told them yet?" _Of course, she meant her avatar-like qualities. He had told her that the others didn't need another reason to mistrust her, and something else to hold against her. She had simply nodded and turned her attention back to the fire. Sokka had suddenly wanted her to lean against his shoulder. He wanted badly to feel that closeness between them that had been there so, so many nights ago. As his eyes drifted down her beautiful body, he had almost allowed himself to lean in close and kiss the creamy skin of her shoulder. He had bit his lip as his thoughts grew filthier.

He had imagined what she would feel like beneath him, her soft, pale skin sliding against his dark flesh. What her moans would sound like when he pushed her closer to the edge. What her hair would feel like when he locked his fingers in it. What her lips would taste like in such a delicious atmosphere. What it would feel like to be inside of her.

As a pressure in his loins told him that he needed to rid himself of these thoughts.

As he walked, he felt that same firmness between his legs as he rethought those reveries. He shook his head fast and hard, knocking all those thoughts to the back of his mind.

He chanced a look over his shoulder. Nirvana's head was tilted towards the sky, the valleys of her face soaking up the warm rays of the sun peaking through the trees. He stared silently as she pulled her thick mane of raven locks back into a ponytail to get it off her neck. He almost sighed. Oh, how he wanted to run his fingers through that hair.

He snapped his head back in a forward-facing position. Where were these thoughts coming from?

* * *

The warmth felt so good against her skin. It was that time of year where the heat was fresh and strong, where you just wanted to soak all of it up. She rose her arms above her head, the heels of her hands pushing up towards the heavens. The muscles in her back stretched and pleasant tingles spread across her frame.

Finally, they stepped out of the curtain of trees and the sun hit them full force. The heat beat down on the group relentlessly, and Nirvana had to shield her eyes from the glare.

"That sun feels great!" Katara sighed from her place at the front.

"It sure does," Sokka agreed, glancing back at Nirvana. In the force of his sea-blue orbs she couldn't help but smile. It was strange that he didn't smile back. She bit down her grin.

They came to a clearing a while later; the lowest part between two hills. Aang stopped his pace and looked around.

"Why don't we stop here for dinner?" he asked in his childish voice.

"Sure, why not?" Sokka shrugged and sat down.

Katara sat beside him, and Aang sat on her other side. Nirvana had the choice to sit beside Aang or Sokka. She picked the obvious selection, but she left some space between them. More space than was usually left when they sat beside each other.

She couldn't lie to herself and say that they hadn't become good friends. She also couldn't lie and say she didn't like the way he looked at her, the way he spoke to her, and the way his smell made her head swim when they sat close. Her chest tightened a bit as she realized what was happening to her. She felt like she was betraying Dante. A sharp pain stabbed in her heart when she thought his name. She decided she could lie to herself for a little while longer and say that she wasn't falling in love with Sokka_._


	7. Chapter 6

_A.N. : Sorry it's been so long since I've updated! I had lost inspiration, but then received reviews wanting an update, so here it is! Thank you for the reviews! Not quite sure what's going to happen. Not steaminess as of yet…. I think. lol nope, none. Hope you enjoy! Please comment!_

* * *

Nirvana stretched her body out across the cool grass. She lay a ways away from the rest, still within the glow of the fire. It was nice to feel the relief of a change in pace. The night air was still warm from the day's heat and the far west skies were streaked with pinks and oranges. Above Nirvana, the sky was dotted with tiny stars peeking out from the blanket of navy.

She kicked off her boots and removed her gloves, wanting to feel the sleek caress of the fresh grass against her fingers and toes. A sigh seeped from her full lips as she closed her jade eyes.

* * *

Sokka's eyes drifted away from the conversation with Katara and Aang. Sapphire lingered on creamy skin, unaware of his watchful eye. Gliding down from her face, and coming to rest on the long, crude scar on her leg; a blemish on her otherwise perfect skin. An imperfection that somehow made Nirvana seem all the more beautiful in his eyes.

Beautiful, and somehow taboo. The scar made him think of this Dante person and how much she had loved him. That simple fact made sadness swell in Sokka's chest. The fact that Dante had stolen her heart meant that it would never be his. _She _would never be his.

Sokka's eyes widened as the thought crossed his mind. There was no way that he could be thinking this. It was out of the question, hopeless, unattainable….and yet, irrevocable. Two facts were certain: Sokka was absolutely falling in love with Nirvana, and Nirvana's heart belonged to Dante.

One other truth was positive. He would still try.

When Katara and Aang finally excused themselves to retreat to bed, Sokka crawled over to where Nirvana still lay. Her body was motionless, and Sokka thought she might be sleeping.

"Nirvana," he whispered. In his realization, her name was like the sweetest sin on his tongue. He manoeuvred his body into a sitting position. He left a small distance between her slight frame and his own. Nirvana stirred, her eyes fluttering open and momentarily blinding Sokka with emerald.

"Sokka," Nirvana murmured, a smile tugging on her lips. Sokka's heart swelled warmly at the delight at seeing him. "Join me?" she offered.

He hoped that it was too dark to see the pink bloom across his cheeks as he laid down beside her. He turned onto his side, his indigo orbs fixed on the profile of her moon-pale visage. Her long lashes sparkled in the night air and her cheeks were tinted pink, either from Sokka's closeness or the chilled evening. He propped his head on his hand in lieu of laying flat; receiving a most marvellous view of her face. She appeared to have captured pieces of the moonlight in her glittering eyes. In sheer awe at her splendour, the heat in his face grew more prominent, his palms prickled his sweat, and his breath caught in his throat.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Nirvana sighed. "Do you think that a shooting star can really grant a wish?"

Momentarily caught off guard by her crystal voice, he smiled, and rolled onto his back. He placed his arms behind his head. Glancing over at her, he said, "Why don't you try?"

"What?" Nirvana raised an eyebrow. Sokka pointed up at the sky, and her gaze followed the path his finger made.

"Quick, Nirvana. Make a wish," he smiled as she spotted the shooting star leaving its tail behind. A brilliant grin lit up her face and she closed her eyes.

For Sokka, time slowed down then, as he saw her dainty hand laying at her side. What would happen if he let his fingers caress her palm? Would she allow him to hold it? Would she fold her own fingers through his? For a second, he paused, his hand in the midst of reaching down. What was she wishing for?

* * *

Nirvana thought quickly about what she could possibly wish for. Maybe she could wish Dante hadn't died. The prospect tingled in her chest, but something about it seemed wrong and dark. Another possibility was looking rather inviting. A small smile warmed her face and she made her wish, glancing over at Sokka, who looked lost in thought.

* * *

Azure caught sight of jade and the two melted. Sokka held his breath and bit down on his bottom lip. How delicious she looked with the moonlight reflecting off her skin and getting caught in her inky tresses. He slowly reached down and took her small hand in his. To his surprise, she wound her fingers through his. Warmth spread through his entire frame and his heart took off with a leap.

A sigh of contentment leaked from his lips as Nirvana leaned her head against his shoulder.

* * *

The morning came quickly, it seemed. She had every inch of her body pressed against Sokka's side to ward off the chilly air during the night. His arm felt right around her neck, and her head felt right against his chest. Nirvana's eyes fluttered open as the sun began to rise.

"Sokka?" Katara's voice rang out from within one of the tents.

"Shit!" she exclaimed, beating her palm against Sokka's chest to wake him. "Wake up!" she hissed.

"W-what?" Sokka's voice was groggy from sleep.

"Your sister is coming!"

Realization struck Sokka like a punch in the stomach and the two scrambled away from each other just as Katara exited the tent, an expression of puzzlement on her features.

"Oh, there you are!"

"H-hey, Katara," Sokka stammered, his voice raising a few octaves in embarrassment as he rose to his feet.

"Why weren't you in your tent?" his sister placed her fists on her slender hips, eyes flitting momentarily to a flustered Nirvana sitting in the grass.

"I, uh, got up early…" Sokka scratched the back of his head, praying silently that his sister would buy his obvious lie.

Katara eyed him, her eyebrow raised suspiciously, but simply turned away to pack up their supplies. Sokka let out the breath he'd been holding, and glanced over to Nirvana. She sighed, attempting to rid her face of the retched heat. She glanced up and green collided with blue, forcing her heart to wreak havoc on her ribcage.

Sokka grinned and shrugged. She counted his footsteps towards her. Seven. Sokka tucked a stray lock of onyx behind her ear, and slipped his thumb beneath Nirvana's chin, curving her lovely visage upward. With her face upturned, the blush renewed on her cheeks, a nervous smile played on her lips. Nirvana watched Sokka's cyan orbs soften as she stared down at her. She saw his eyes dart over to Katara, who was busying herself with the tents, then back to her. Her heart beat three times as hard as he began to tilt his face down. Slowly, softly, his lips captured hers.


	8. Chapter 7

_A.N. : I am so sorry I haven't updated in so long! So so so sorry1 I kinda got caught up in my other stories and forgot about this one. But I got a review today and reread the story and now I really want to continue. Thank you for reviewing (: _

* * *

The kiss lasted only seconds, but it tingled on Nirvana's lips for days. She could barely look Sokka in the eye without turning red. It had caught her so off guard, and his sister had been right there! After they had parted, sapphire melded with emerald in a gaze that shook the foundation of her existence. _I won't lose you._

The strange thing was that, yes, she had felt this feeling before. But, with Dante, it had been different. With Sokka it was… stronger. His touch set fire to her skin. His kiss had set her ablaze. His words made her feel safe, comfortable. Sokka was home. For so long she had been the outsider, living on her own among the animals. Nirvana had forgotten what it felt like to be _apart _of someone's life.

Although it still hurt to let Dante go, she knew that there was nothing she could do. He was gone, and wasn't coming back. He would always he a ghost in the back of her mind. But, she also couldn't deny her feelings for Sokka any longer.

It was time to tell the truth.

* * *

Sokka was a bit on edge. Ever since he had kissed Nirvana, there had been no time to catch her alone. His sister clearly suspected something between them and would stop at nothing to bring it to a halt. She left no time for them to fall in love more deeply than they already had. But, Sokka was so deeply laced into his love for Nirvana, that no one could break it. He only hoped that she was feeling the same.

"Maybe we should take a shortcut," Aang declared, looking at the tattered map.

"The only way is through that crevice," Sokka pointed to the small space between the towering mountains that blocked their path. It was possibly the width of a person, if they were lucky.

"Unless we go around," Katara suggested.

"That'll take too long. We want to be in the next town by dark," Aang informed, scratching his shaven head.

"Well then, I guess we're settled," Sokka shrugged, taking the map from Aang and rolling it up. He glanced back at Nirvana. She stood behind him, out of the circle, a small smile playing on her full lips as he met her jade gaze. She beckoned him to slow down, making him raise his eyebrow. He grinned, waiting until Katara passed him with a suspicious glare to step in line.

He moved deliberately, to widen the space between himself and Katara and to allow Nirvana to catch up to him. Sokka noticed that Katara continued to glance back, a worried look in her blue eyes. He smiled at her, reassuring. Her eyes narrowed and she slowed her pace as well, just as they reached their destination.

"This doesn't look safe," Nirvana whispered, staring up at the looming mountain.

"It'll be okay," Sokka whispered back, leaning over to her ear. She blushed slightly as they began, single-file, to trek into the rock slide waiting to happen.

Luckily, Sokka had been correct in assuming the fissure was wide enough for one person, even if it was a tight fit. Sucking in his taught stomach, and tilting his chin up, his chest still rubbed against the stone across from him. His eyes wandered up the stone walls, up to the very top. He gasped as he saw many boulders loomed menacingly along the edges.

"Everyone stay quiet," Sokka whispered, motioning upwards.

As the four crept slowly and silently along the rocky confine, Sokka felt Nirvana lean in close to him, practically stepping on his ankles.

"Sokka," she began almost silently. Sokka closed his eyes, relishing the sound of his name on her lips. He felt her raven locks graze his cheek as she leaned closer. "Sokka, I-"

Nirvana was cut off by a whizzing shock of white fur bounding onto her head, onto Sokka's, and the Katara's. The small animal finally came to a stop when it reached Aang.

"Momo!" Aang cried, snuggling the white and brown lemur. "Where have you been?" The sound of earth shifting froze everyone in place.

"Aang!" the three others hissed in unison. They all watched in horror as the walls began to cave in, seemingly in slow motion.

"Run!" Sokka commanded, giving his sister a shove in the direction of safety. He reached back to grab for Nirvana's hand, only to find that she was reaching for him as well. The four shimmied as quickly as they could towards the cavern at the end. The boulders crashed behind them, and tiny rocks rained down on them. The ground shook as they ran to safety, barely making it into the cave. Sokka pulled Nirvana into the darkness just as another boulder thundered into the dirt.

Within seconds, the rockslide had completely covered the opening. The four were left in pitch black. Sokka felt Nirvana's fingers tighten around his. He tugged gently on her arm, pulling her flush against his body.

"What do we do now?" Katara's voice rang out. Sokka felt Nirvana pull away slightly. He let her, but kept a tight grip on her hand.

"I'm sorry," Aang sighed. Momo purred in his arms.

"It's okay, Aang." Katara told him. "We need some light. I can barely see anything."

"I'm on it," Sokka could practically see the grin on Aang's face.

There was a flicker of light, and then the young boy was visible. A small flame shimmered between his palms.

* * *

Nirvana's lips parted slightly in amazement as she watched Aang handle the ball of fire. How she wished she could do so. Could she ask for Aang's help?

Four figures were suddenly illuminated. And she realized that Katara could see Sokka holding her hand, if Katara were to look. Nirvana wriggled her fingers free, offering Sokka an apologetic smile when he turned to her. She watched as Sokka walked to his sister, telling her that he would find some wood.

Once the fire was set, the four took their places about the cave. Nirvana lay on her side facing the wall. She snapped her fingers, setting off a spark. It lit the planes of her face for a mere second, then disappeared. She frowned. She tried again and again, but couldn't get more than a spark.

"Need some help?"

Nirvana turned to see the young Avatar smiling at her. She could not believe her eyes as he sat down beside her. He crossed his legs and waited for her to sit as well.

* * *

Sokka watched Aang and Nirvana from across the fire, a smile playing on his lips. He crossed his arms across his chest. Happiness sat warm in his belly as his friend finally began to accept his love. If only he could convince the same of his sister. She sat to his left, frowning, stroking a sleeping Momo in her lap.

"You still don't trust her, do you?" Sokka's smile faded slightly.

"I don't see why I should,"

"Do you really have a reason not to?"

"She tried to kill you, Sokka. She's a fire bender," Katara looked at her brother, a deep frown splitting her face.

"Katara," Sokka shook his head, turning his gaze back to Nirvana. For seconds at a time, she would be visible. Fire licking at her fingers and light spreading across the gentle planes of her visage. "She was only protecting her forest, her _home_. To her, we were the bad guys. But she understands now that we want to help her." Sokka considered telling his sister about Nirvana's avatar-like gifts, but decided that it could wait. Nirvana giggled then, gasping in delight as the globe of flames flickered in her palm.

"Sokka! Look! Look!" she smiled, childish wonder filling her features. Sokka smiled and waved to her.

"_You_ want to help her." Katara rephrased, "_I _personally don't see any reason to help her."

"Katara, please, give her a chance. It would mean a lot to me," Sokka turned to her, a pleading look on his features. Katara thought about it for a long moment, and Sokka though she was going to say no.

"I'm not giving her any special treatment."

Sokka grinned, watching as Nirvana and Aang tossed the glowing orb between one another.


	9. Chapter 8

_A.N.: Here's the next part! (: I just realized that I forgot all about Apa after watching the series again. But, in watching the series, I fell in love with Sokka all over again. Warning: intimate scenes ahead, and not sure how far they will go as of yet, so beware. Enjoy!_

* * *

By the time the sun had set, or when they assumed the sun had set (having no source of light in the cavern), everyone had hunkered down. Nearly everyone was asleep. Everyone, except Sokka. He lay between Katara and Nirvana, arms behind his head. The fire was dying, only embers left by now, and was casting a soft orange glow on everything.

A sigh leaked from his lips as he scratched his head. He felt that his hair had begun to grow in. He hadn't realized in the past few months. He ran his fingertips over the sides, finding it strange that they weren't stubble anymore. Sokka turned onto his side, so that he lay face to face with Nirvana.

With the orange glow flickering on her face, her beauty stole the breath from Sokka's lungs. He smiled slowly, drinking in the sight of her. She stirred the slightest bit, a loose strand of onyx falling across her face. Sokka reached tentatively to tuck it back, his fingertips grazing her the creamy skin of her cheek. Another sigh reached his lips as he placed his palm, feather-light, across the side of her face. He watched as she smiled slowly, placing her hand atop his. She opened her eyes, long lashes fluttering across the tops of her cheekbones as she blinked.

* * *

Nirvana hadn't really been asleep. She could feel Sokka's eyes boring into her. It was only when he dared to touch her that she had decided to 'wake up'.

She turned into his palm, pressing her lips to its centre, her eyes still fastened to his. She took his hand, wrapping it around her shoulder. She wriggled closer to him, tucking her head beneath his chin. She felt his arms tighten around her body, and a contentment washed over her mind.

She must have fallen asleep at some point. When she woke, though, she felt as though she were still in a dream. The world was hazy and her movements felt sluggish. She sat up, eyes drawn to a strange blue glow near the back of the cave. It tugged on her, pulling her towards it. She pulled her body upright, feeling heavy. She wobbled in place for a moment, then began walking towards the light.

She followed it through the twisting path of the cavern, keeping her eyes glued to its centre. The brightest part appeared to take on the form of a young man as it lead Nirvana to the back of the cave. She stood just inside a small stone room. In the midmost part of the room, was a huge dip in the floor, filled with water. The tiny waves lapping against their confines also had the eerie azure luminosity.

The glowing figure became immobile, facing the girl on the other side of the lustrous pool. It reached a hand out to her, beckoning her forward. Without hesitation, she began moving towards it once again. She lifted a bare foot over the water, just about to step into its radiance, when a voice thrust her back into reality.

"What are you doing?"

* * *

Sokka awoke when Nirvana stood. He tumbled away from her, still partially asleep.

"Where are you going?" he grumbled, sitting up and rubbing his eye with the back of his hand. When she did not respond, he automatically opened both eyes and became fully aware of his surroundings. He called out to her, quietly, as to not wake Aang and Katara. He stood as he spotted Nirvana turning around a corner. An odd blue blaze lighting the corridor set Sokka's alerts on high. He trailed her carefully, footfalls almost silent. He watched her, noticed her walk was off. She moved slowly and deliberately, like a stick insect. As though she was walking in a trance.

He stayed about three feet back, out of the sapphire glow. The hair on the back of his neck and arms raised as a cold tingle crept up his spine. He stood in the large doorway, watching as the illuminated figure and Nirvana faced each other across a giant spring. He had a feeling, though, that it was not a hot spring. In fact, he could see thin and shattered blankets of ice across the waters surface. If she went in there, she could freeze to death. Was the glowing figure trying to kill her? It was then that he called out to her.

Nirvana turned swiftly to the sound of his voice, her face confused, her eyes glazed. He ran to her side, catching her as her limbs gave out. Looking into her visage, he saw that her pupils were almost completely dilated, barely any emerald showing through.

Sokka turned angrily to the figure, a snarl ready in his throat. His eyebrows furrowed and he bared his teeth.

"What did you do to her?" he demanded. The figure simply spun on its heel and faded away. He frowned, anger fading away as well. Confusion took its place as darkness flooded the farthest corners of the room. The only source of light was the pool to Sokka's left. For some reason or another, it was still glowing its bizarre cyan light.

Sokka took one more glance around, then looked back to Nirvana. Long moments passed where she stared up at him, unmoving. He waited, hoping that she would breathe, move, do _something._ His fingers clenched in white-knuckled strength around her arm. His lips parted, ragged breaths breaking through. For those long moments, he believed that she might not wake up.

That he might never see a smile light up her beautiful face again.

That he might never get to kiss her again.

That he would never know how it would feel to love her as deeply as a man can love a woman.

His heart beat fast and hard against his ribcage, counting seconds, minutes…

Finally, her chest lifted in a gasp. He watched as her pupils constricted back to normal and she blinked three times.

"Where are we?" she asked, eyebrows furrowing beneath dark fringe. Relief flooded through Sokka's entire body, his heart rate picking up. He yanked her to his chest, nearly crushing her in his arms. Hot tears leaked, pooling in the corners of his eyes. A chant fell from his lips as he rocked back and forth.

"You're okay, you're okay, you're okay…"

"Sokka?" Her small fingers wound themselves in his hair. She tugged out the elastic, letting his hair fall free about his angular face.

They sat holding each other for a long while, until finally Sokka's tears had dried and Nirvana felt normal once more.

Sokka pulled back, arms still wound around his love. Her hand cradled his face as he looked down on her. He watched as her eyes glanced from his mouth, again and again. Closing his own eyes, he lowered his face to hers and seized her lips.

The kiss began slow, a flame igniting with the connection. Becoming more fervent, Sokka moved his mouth over hers, licking gently at her bottom lip. Moving together, their mouths slid against one another; as one yet playing with the other. Sokka smiled slowly against her lips, running his thumb along her collar bone. Momentarily distracted, she opened her mouth, and his tongue broke down her defences. She moaned quietly as Sokka explored, imprinting each detail in his mind. Nirvana's fingers tugged gently on his hair, pulling his closer.

Sokka placed her softly onto the ground, lips still moving against hers. Her lowered his body to hers, now on his elbows and knees above her. She tugged carefully on his shirt, pulling his chest to hers. He nibbled on her bottom lip, wanting to implode at the sensation of her body beneath him. Her breasts firm but soft against his chest.

His lips fumbled for a moment as he felt her hands work their way to the neck of his tunic. She pulled it gently off his shoulders and down his back. Her fingertips traced fire as she ran them back up to the nape of his neck. Sokka shuddered, kissing her more fiercely. He broke the connection of their lips, and brought it back down on her cheek, her jaw, her neck. He kissed across her collar bone, relishing her soft moans seeping from her lips and the way her fingers tugged on his hair. His lips traveled down to the valley of her breasts, parting her shirt with expert fingers. After kissing each mound, he moved back up to her mouth. With shaking fingers, Sokka's unsure hand hovered above her left breast. Nirvana opened her eyes, sapphire meeting emerald. She smiled, assuring, and placed her own hand on his. She guided his hand inside the seam of her tunic, sucking his lower lip between her teeth.

Heat flooded Sokka's face as the softness of her bare skin made him go rigid. Under his burning palm, the small bud of her breast hardened slightly. His fingers clenched softly, massaging and caressing. Nirvana's hands found the hard planes of Sokka's bare chest, heat radiating from her now, as well.

Sokka kissed her lips once more, then drew back. His eyes were questioning, but Nirvana's were smiling. Her face was flushed, except her cheeks. Rosy and drained, she giggled quietly. Sokka's bass joined her high tenor in a chorus of laughter. Her withdrew his hand from her shirt, trailing a finger across her nipple and earning one last shudder.

Fixing their clothes, they joined hands before returning to the fire.


	10. Chapter 9

_A.N.: alrighty, I think this is the fastest I've updated, like, ever. Haha. I hope you liked the intimate scene between Sokka and Nirvana in the last chapter. Please, feel free to comment, I don't bite. (: _

* * *

Sokka's eyes swept across the cavern floor. "Some light over here," he said, pointing. Aang came to his side, scratching his head and holding out a small flame in his palm. "If we can break through this, I think we can get out," Sokka held his hand out to the rocks, making sure that the warm breeze wasn't his imagination.

When they had awoken that morning, Sokka had told Katara and Aang about the stone room. He conveniently left out that Nirvana had been walking there in a trance, but had the idea that somewhere at the back of the cave, was an exit. When the four had ventured past the glowing pool, they found that the exit had been blocked off as well. But, Sokka could feel the outside air, taste the sun just beyond these boulders. His fingers itched for his boomerang, but he knew that it would do no good. His boomerang was too weak to move these giant stones even the slightest bit. Katara, Aang and Nirvana had to work together. Using their bending, they could set themselves free.

In all honesty, he felt a little useless in this case. All he could do was tell the other three where to stand. He leaned back against the stone wall and listened, head down.

"B-but, I can't," Nirvana protested from her place beside Aang.

"What would heating up the rocks do, anyway?" Katara inquired, crossing her arms across her chest. Sokka's head shot up. That's right. Neither Aang not Katara knew that Nirvana could bend other elements as well. He swore silently under his breath. It would make things so much easier if Nirvana and Aang could just earthbend the boulders away. Sokka knew that Aang couldn't do it all by himself, so they had to settle for wearing down the rocks with water, fire and air.

Sokka waved away Katara's question, "We need everything we can get," he said dryly.

"Why can't I just earthbend?" Aang shrugged.

"Aang, you know you don't really know how yet," Katara put a hand on his shoulder.

"Plus, it would tire you out too much," Sokka pointed out, index finger raised.

The four stood, staring at one another for a long moment. They stayed silent until Sokka clapped his hands together, announcing that they were burning daylight.

Katara readied herself, bending the water from her canteen into a shimmering thread. It wavered in the air around her body, beads of the water hovering in place.

Aang took of a fluid stance, with his feet apart and arms raised. He closed his eyes, focusing his energy to his extremities. Pulling the air from around him.

Nirvana looked from one to the other, unsure of what to do. She tried to mimic both of their stances, combining the two. Glancing between the two other benders, she raised one arm to the stone blockade.

Sokka chuckled to himself as he watched Nirvana fidget in her awkward bearing. He coughed into a fist to hide his laughter. Nirvana shot him a look, which only made him snicker more.

"Ready?" Aang asked.

Katara nodded and Nirvana gulped audibly. Katara began to shift her body, lunging forward and carrying the water with her. It whipped against the rocks with a loud _snap_. Aang did something similar, forcing the air around him to smash into the barricade at full force. As the two chipped away at the stone barrier, Nirvana remained still.

Sokka's eyes locked onto her face. Her expression was a mixture of confusion and pure terror. The fingers on her outstretched hand trembled. Her legs shook. He tried to tell her with his eyes that it was okay, but her visage was locked on the boulders. He wanted to speak, but he really didn't know anything about bending. It wasn't his place.

"Just focus all your body heat into the tips of your fingers," Aang instructed between movements. Sokka frowned and crossed his arms.

"I could have told her that…" he grumbled to himself, rolling his eyes.

* * *

Nirvana took a deep breath, holding it in her lungs. She breathed it out slowly, feeling the heat in her body. She forced it toward her fingertips. With a grunt, she shot out her arm and fire lit the cave. Her jaw dropped as the stones began to glow like embers.

"Again," Sokka coached.

Nirvana shot out her other arm, twisting her body. Flames burst from her fingers, emitting an orange glow. From beside her, Aang flung a gust of air into the embers, igniting them once again. Katara followed, lashing out with the water until it began to hiss and fill the cavern with steam.

They continued bombarding the stone with their elements, Sokka cheering them on. Soon, the whole centre of the blocked exit was glowing bright red.

"Aang!" Sokka pointed. The small boy thrust out both his hands, releasing a huge blast of wind. The air pinpointed the weakest point, breaking through it like an arrow. The boulders crumbled, breaking apart, sunlight streaming through and blinding the four.

"We did it!" Nirvana breathed, stepping across the threshold. Light washed over her, and she squinted against it.

"Yeah!" Aang rushed out beside her, holding up his hand for a high-five, a grin splitting his face. Nirvana laughed and clapped her hand against his. Sokka ran out, Katara trailing behind him. He ran to Nirvana, wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her off the ground. She giggled as he spun her, hugging her close. The blood rushed to her face and ears, turning them bright red.

She stopped laughing when she caught sight of Katara, standing just outside the cave, arms crossed tightly across her chest. Sokka set her down, and Nirvana crossed over slowly to his sister.

"You did a good job," Nirvana whispered, gesturing to the cave where pebbles were still steaming.

"Thanks. You, too," Katara uncrossed her arms.

The two girls stood silently, watching Sokka and Aang re-enact the past occurrence as only young-minded boys can do.

"He really likes you, you know," Katara stated. Nirvana glanced up at her, but Katara didn't make a move to look at her as well.

"I really like him, too,"

"And for now, that's okay,"

"_For now?" _

Katara turned to her then, sapphire eyes burning, "If you hurt him, I swear…" Her threat hung silently in the air as Katara waltzed away to join Aang and her brother.

* * *

Sokka's face ached from smiling. But when Katara sauntered over, his grin faded slightly. Where had Nirvana gone? He glanced over his tawny shoulder, catching a glimpse of her pale, violet-clad figure. She stood, jaw slack and eyes wide, hidden in the shadows of the cavern.

"What did you say to her?" he asked, not accusing.

"Nothing," Katara shrugged. Sokka pursed his lips, patting Aang on the shoulder. He ambled over to Nirvana, all the sensations from the night before filling his mind. A soft smile broke out on his lips.

Sokka wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his side. His dropped a kiss onto her temple, pulling her from her shock.

"Congrats," He whispered against her hair. He breathed in her sweet scent. She smelled of some kind of flower, lilacs perhaps, peppered in with something that was strictly Nirvana. He closed his eyes, burying his face in her raven locks. He wanted to get lost, and never come out. He felt her smile against the top of his head. "Come on," he sighed, retreating from the heaven of the crook of her neck.

He tugged her forward and she followed. Sokka finally felt at ease as the four began their walk to the next village. He didn't move his arm from Nirvana's shoulder, because it felt right. She was his missing puzzle piece.


	11. Chapter 10

_A.N.: Two days in a row. Uh, a booyah! I'm just so full of ideas right now, its crazy. And thank you to for having everything avatar related on the site. It really helped me understand the bending and the world of avatar. Kinda a shorter chapter, but I still like it. Please, guys, comment. I really do love hearing from my readers. (: _

* * *

By the time that the four had reached the village, they were damn-near exhausted. Sokka wanted to sleep the moment the soles of his boots touched friendly soil, but they really didn't have a chance.

The first sign that something was wrong came before they even saw the village gates. The four were walking uphill, trekking and breathing hard. Even though they were tired, they were still in good spirits. It was late in the day, and the animals were still out. Sokka smiled at the baby Turtle Ducks bathing in their pond, and Fox Antelopes bounding by on the outskirts of the valley.

Nirvana had pointed out small black flakes falling from the sky like snow. She waved them away as they tried to land on her nose. Sokka raised an eyebrow, squinting towards the top of the hill. He slowed his pace, alerting the rest of the group that something was amiss. It all seemed familiar. Too familiar. He pursed his lips and lowered his arm from Nirvana's shoulder.

"What, Sokka?" she asked softly, touching his arm.

"Those aren't falling from the sky," he whispered, all eyes on him, "They're caught in the wind," he finished, realizing why it seemed like déjà-vu.

"A raid…" Katara breathed after a moment. She turned and took off up the hill, dark hair flying.

"Katara, wait!" Sokka shouted, taking Nirvana's hand and bolting after his sister. Aang and Momo followed.

They caught up with her, as she had frozen in place at the highest point of the incline. From where they all were standing, they could clearly see the gates and the thick black smoke that billowed from just beyond. Katara's hands were raised to her mouth, hiding her horror.

Their good spirits died in that moment.

The village was _in the process _of being raided, being burned down by the Fire Nation. The villagers were running, their screams filling Sokka's ears. Some were fighting back, benders and non. The hut-like buildings were not much more that embers and rubble, most already tumbling to the ground. The smoke was so dense that it was near impossible to see a few feet ahead.

A heavy weight sat on Sokka's chest as his jaw tightened. Nirvana gasped softly, and he gave her fingers a squeeze.

"Katara…" he tried to place a hand on his sister's shoulder but she shook him off violently and began running again. As she sprinted, Katara began bending the water out of its canteen, ready to fight.

"Katara! We can't win!"

"We've got to try."

Sokka was shocked to hear that the voice had not come from his sister, but from the young woman beside him. She clutched his hand with white-knuckled strength, full lips set in a frown. Her jade eyes were glazed over with determination and sadness and anger.

"What are you talk-" Sokka never got to finish his sentence. Nirvana dropped his hand and bolted headlong after his sister.

"C'mon, Aang," Sokka growled, marching forward.

* * *

When Nirvana reached Katara, she was already in battle. Watching Katara move with such fluidity and precision, she got momentarily distracted. She stood within the entrance of the village, staring in bewilderment at the war.

She was knocked back into the present, though, when one of the soldiers shot a flame in her direction. It narrowly missed, singeing the end of a lock of her hair. She flew into action, closing the distance between herself and the soldier. She threw a fist into his stomach, and brought a foot down onto his. He cried out, leaning down to caress his foot, and Nirvana swung her elbow into his temple. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious. She took off to help Katara.

"Behind you!" she shouted, thrusting a fist at the soldier closing in on Katara. A flame shot out, past the girl, and into the soldier.

"Thanks," Katara gasped, winded with effort. Nirvana nodded, taking a fighting stance. She clenched her fists, all the muscles in her body tensed and itching for a fight.

They fought alongside one another, until they had been backed into a corner. The girls stood, leaning their backs together, gasping for breath. Sweat dripped from their brows and soaked their clothes. Nirvana's body ached, right down to the bone, and she felt like her legs might give out. Katara wasn't in any better condition; her fingers trembled as she commanded the water to whip the soldiers. It seemed like no matter how long and hard they fought, the numbers of the Fire Nation never wavered.

"What do we do now?" Nirvana whispered to Katara.

"I don't really know."

Nirvana's eyes searched the horizon, and she saw Sokka and Aang. Limping slightly with exhaustion, they had almost reached the girls. A smile played on Nirvana's lips, she elbowed Katara and motioned in the boys' direction.

Katara took the hint and with shaking arms, flung a wave of water at the soldiers. That, however, was all the torment that her body would allow, and she crumpled.

"Katara," she kneeled down next to her fallen friend. Her eyes darted between the angry soldiers and the tanned girl, then narrowed. She dipped her finger into the puddle of water, and raised her arm. The water followed, swirling delicately. She spread her digits viciously, the liquid splitting into smaller beads. The globules turned solid, and sharp as arrows. Nirvana smirked, lashing out her arm in an arc. Shards battered the soldiers, tearing their uniforms and drawing blood.

Her vision wavered and began to blur, exhaustion finally becoming too much. Before her eyes shut, she saw a massive gust of violent wind knock down the semi-circle of soldiers. As two forms approached, her vision went black and she collapsed on top of Katara.


End file.
